Coley expects more business

John Coleman expects there to still be plenty of activity in this transfer window as he looks to strengthen his Stanley squad for the second half of the season.

The manager has already brought in Hull City duo Jonathan Edwards and Harvey Rodgers on loan this month.

Now he’s looking at further additions and is casting the net far and wide.

“There are specific areas I’m looking at strengthening and I hope to make a signing before the weekend and then possibly one or two more before the end of the month,” he revealed.

“You’ve got to get the right ones in. You wouldn’t believe how much time I’ve spent on the phone in the last three days. Players from big clubs are desperate to go out on loan because they want a taste of the action and see it as an important step in their career and rightly so. We just have to make sure we get the right ones in.

“The loan system now takes away that they can be recalled so you have to get them right. You used to be able to have a look at them for 28 days but now you can’t do that.”

John O’Sullivan

Loanees Zak Vyner and John O’Sullivan have now returned to their parent clubs – but that doesn’t mean we’ve necessarily seen the last of the pair.

“You’d like to think that being around a first team environment will enhance Zak Vyner’s career going forward,” said Coleman. “I haven’t ruled out Zak coming back to be honest. Bristol City have taken him back to have a look at him and we’ll assess that with them by the end of the month.

“I’ve already spoken to Blackburn about John. It’s just a little bit complicated at the moment, with John’s contract running out at the end of the season. We have got a deal in place to extend his loan until the end of the season but that will depend on what happens in the next 48 hours with regards his future at Blackburn.”

The manager is also keen to keep the existing squad together, though he admits there have been some enquiries.

“There has been interest in our players from elsewhere,” he said. “Although we haven’t had a great season results-wise, we’ve played some good football and there have been some very good performances from our players.

“We have had a couple of enquiries but I think people think we are the Accrington of the 90’s or mid 2000’s and that’s not the case. Players will go for their market value. It’d be churlish for me to say that nobody is for sale, even Messi would have his price, and we’re not a club who would stunt a player’s career but we’re not going to give players away.”